Parents Frustrated Over Lack of Light at "Dangerous Intersection"

The principal, parents and teachers at Rocky Mountain Elementary school are frustrated with the county. They're still waiting for a stoplight near the school that was supposed to be finished over the summer.

11 News first told you about the plans for a stoplight at the intersection of D and a half and 32 and a half roads last December.

There had already been delays because the Mesa County Public Works Department had a hard time finding a contractor to do the work.

Now there are even more delays because the county says the some of the work that has been done so far is not up to par. Parents say they're tired of waiting.

Hundreds of kids walk home from Rocky Mountain Elementary School everyday. It's one of the few schools that doesn't have buses.

Parents and kids don't mind the walk but it's crossing the intersection that makes parents nervous.

But this isn't a new problem and parents and staff at the school haev already asked for a solution.

"We were under the impression that this summer not only would we have curbing, but we'd have a stoplight, and so far that hasn't happened," Rocky Mountain Elementary School Principal David Fricke told 11 News on Monday.

He says while they wait kids are at risk.

"I hope it's not one of those situations where it takes someone getting hurt that prompts it to happen," said Fricke.

He says he hasn't heard from the county since a contractor started installing stoplight foundations outside of the school and hasn't returned.

"Bear with us," Mesa County Engineer Mike Meininger said on Monday.

He understands that people might be frustrated but says construction projects hit bumps.

"To be the best shepard of the taxpayers money we have to do the best we can to fund a safe installation," said Fricke.

He says it's been a challenge, not only to find someone to do the work in a valley that is growing, but to do it well. Meininger says the county is working as fast as it can.

But two years for one stoplight is not fast enough for parents, teachers and crossing guards who worry about children crossing the street everyday.

Mesa County engineers say they're talking to the contractor about the foundations. Depending on what they find it could be atleast six weeks before they can get the light in.

They say that's best case scenario. If they have to replace the foundations it could be a whole lot longer.

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